Transitioning operating modes in a medical prosthesis

Abstract

The present disclosure describes systems and methods to transition a hearing prosthesis between different stimulation strategies. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided and includes operating a hearing prosthesis in accordance with a first parameter, receiving an instruction to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a second parameter, and in response to the receiving, transitioning to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second parameter by operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with at least one intermediate parameter. In accordance with another embodiment, the method includes transitioning to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a third operation strategy characterized by alternating between periods of (i) operating in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating in accordance with the second operation strategy, and increasing an amount of time in which the hearing prosthesis is operating in accordance with the second operation strategy.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 a sound processor operating a hearing prosthesis in accordance with a first operation strategy; 
 the sound processor receiving an instruction to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a second operation strategy; 
 in response to the receiving, the sound processor transitioning to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a third operation strategy, the third operation strategy being characterized by:
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (i) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy; and 
 while the sound processor is alternating between the periods of (i) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy, the sound processor increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sound processor alternating between the periods comprises the sound processor alternating between the periods at substantially regular intervals. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sound processor alternating between the periods comprises the sound processor alternating between the periods at substantially non-regular intervals. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sound processor increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy comprises:
 the sound processor intermittently increasing a length of each period of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy; and 
 the sound processor intermittently decreasing a length of each period of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sound processor alternating between periods of (i) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy comprises:
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (a) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (b) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with an intermediate operation strategy; 
 the sound processor intermittently increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the intermediate operation strategy; and 
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (c) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the intermediate strategy, and (d) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy. 
 
     
     
       6. A method comprising:
 a sound processor operating a hearing prosthesis in accordance with a first operation strategy; 
 the sound processor receiving an instruction to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a second operation strategy; 
 in response to the receiving, the sound processor transitioning to operate the hearing prosthesis in accordance with a third operation strategy, the third operation strategy being characterized by:
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (i) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy; 
 the sound processor increasing a loudness associated with the second operation strategy; and 
 the sound processor decreasing a loudness associated with the first operation strategy. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the period of operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy and the period of operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy are about equal in length. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third operation strategy is further characterized by:
 the sound processor increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sound processor increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy comprises:
 the sound processor increasing a length of each period of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy; and 
 the sound processor decreasing a length of each period of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sound processor alternating between periods of (i) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (ii) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy comprises:
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (a) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the first operation strategy, and (b) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with an intermediate operation strategy; 
 the sound processor increasing an amount of time in which the sound processor is operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the intermediate operation strategy; and 
 the sound processor alternating between periods of (c) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the intermediate strategy, and (d) operating the hearing prosthesis in accordance with the second operation strategy. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sound processor alternating between the periods comprises the sound processor alternating between the periods at substantially regular intervals. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sound processor alternating between the periods comprises the sound processor alternating between the periods at substantially non-regular intervals. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the sound processor increasing a loudness associated with the second strategy comprises the sound processor increasing a loudness associated with the second strategy in accordance with a substantially-linearly increasing function, and 
 wherein the sound processor decreasing a loudness associated with the first strategy comprises the sound processor decreasing a loudness associated with the first strategy in accordance with a substantially-linearly decreasing function. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the sound processor increasing a loudness associated with the second strategy comprises the sound processor increasing a loudness associated with the second strategy in accordance with a substantially-non-linearly increasing function, and 
 wherein the sound processor decreasing a loudness associated with the first strategy comprises the sound processor decreasing a loudness associated with the first strategy in accordance with a substantially-non-linearly decreasing function.